Estia Centre 10 Years

Abstract

In 2009, the Estia Centre celebrates a decade of working
towards making sure the mental health needs of people
with learning disabilities are met – through specialist
clinical services, research, and a programme of training
and education for both support workers and mental
health professionals.
Despite government efforts of recent years, people
with learning disabilities are still marginalised. Those
with mental health problems and more complex needs
are even more socially excluded: they are much less likely
to be given the chance to speak for themselves and much
less likely to be given choices. Many people with learning
disabilities and mental health problems are placed in
residential or specialist treatment centres far from their
local community: historical lack of state investment has
led to a growth of independent providers of services
and a dearth of specialist public sector alternatives.
Based on Guy’s Hospital campus at London Bridge, the
Estia Centre is part of South London and Maudsley NHS
Foundation Trust (SLaM). Members of the Estia team work
in SLaM’s clinical services and at the Institute of Psychiatry
(IoP),King’s College London, SLaM’s academic partner.
There is also a dedicated team at the Centre responsible
for organising a large portfolio of training, offered
routinely to staff in social care and mental health services
in south London, and also available on request to staff
working in services around the UKand in other countries.
The work of the Estia Centre has been inspirational to
clinicians and policy makers around the world. Over the
years, the Estia team has shared skills and experience
through long-standing collaborations and consultancy
work, helping to shape and develop specialist mental
health services for the benefit of people with learning
disabilities and their families.